Ginger Caramel Cake With Penuche Frosting

I apologise for yet another beige food photograph. I wish I had the patience for posing, and photographing the things I cook-but I don't.

This is a very sweet cake. Very. The frosting is pretty much candy, and the cake itself is substantial. Most people will find a small slice adequate. I imagine children would really like this sort of thing...because it is a big block of candy!

You Will Need:

For The Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups AP flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon bicarb
1 1/2 cups milk (I used whole)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

Cream the butter until light. Beat in the brown sugar until absorbed. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each. Mix in the extract.

Sift the dry ingredients together in another bowl, and add alternating with the milk. Pour into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes, or until it tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then remove to a rack and cool completely.

Trim cake and cut into half. Prepare frosting.

For the Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
icing sugar

In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly for two minutes. Beat in the milk and cook until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool.

Beat in as much icing sugar as needed to reach a spreading consistency. Work quickly, as it starts to harden into fudge pretty quickly.

Keep cake chilled, then remove from fridge about ten minutes before serving. If you have extra frosting, chill it in a pan, then cut into squares to eat like candy.